Free* Dinner for 2!

How would you like to take your sweety (or very best friend) out to dinner for free*?

I thought you might!

Here’s How:

Take my Database Challenge

Click here and look at these 6 screenshots .

Visit www.JCLC.org and access our list of databases under ‘Resources’.

Try to find which database corresponds to each screen image. Notice that I have masked the database names from the screen images- I didn’t want it to be too easy! 

The images come from different areas of the databases, not just the homepage. All I want from you are the names of the databases pictured.

Send me an email with your contact info and the database names labeled A-F.

If you have any questions, let me know!

**Important Information:

This Database Challenge is open to staff of public libraries in Jefferson County, AL. One winner will be selected from from all correct submissions.

All submissions must be sent via email to mdevins[at]bham….(you know the rest). Basically, if your answers are correct I’ll put your name in a basket. After June 20th, I’ll have a coworker draw one name.

This Database Challenge will end JUNE 20th at 5pm.

*By “Free” I mean anything under $30.00. The winner will be presented with an Applebee’s Gift Card valued at $30.00.

Thanks! and Happy Searching!

 

 

Free EBSCOhost Training Coming Up

Only a few days left until the free EBSCOhost training. For Jefferson County and other local librarie the training will be held Wednesday, February 6th from 9am – 12pm and again from 1pm to 4 pm.

If you haven’t yet registered or if you can’t make it, the training will be held in Jacksonville State University on February 7th and Calhoun Community College on February 8th.

Contact Jodi for more details. If you don’t know how to contact Jodi, then contact me and I’ll get the information to you.

 

What toys are safe?

Christmas may be over but many of us (and our patrons) are still trying to make sense of the toy recalls.

Here are some informative resources that I’ve found in my own search for safe toys. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

First things first, since we have this terrific set of databases just begging to be used- I visited the AVL (of course). Using EBSCO’s MasterFILE Premier and Academic Search Premier I found a plethora of helpful articles. My initial search phrase was “toy safety.” EBSCO conveniently list suggestions on the left to aid ma in my search. The variety of results came from Scholastic News, Business Week, USA Today and others.

As it turns out, this was a pretty great place for me to start in order to gain a footing with such a controversial and heated topic.

I also checked out another great resource, the Internet.

The Consumer Product Safety Commision posts recent list of recalls and has product safety news.

There are also civic minded organisations answering the call. Check out these websites:

www.healthytoys.org-A consumer action guide to toxic chemicals in toys. Developed by The Ecology Center based in Ann Arbor, Michigan and the Washington Toxics Coalition.

ToyInfo.org - is provided by the Toy Industry Association, Inc. One of the goals of the site is to answer consumer questions about toy safety and recalls. 

ConsumerReports.Org - provides articles and ratings fro a variety of products.

This list is small and only the beginning. The Internet and databases are amass with differing opinions and concerns regarding toy safety. I hope this helps you with your search.

 

Parlez vous francais? New and Improved

I would be the first to tell you- I was sad to see Rosetta Stone pulled from our online resources. Not only was I really planning to learn Spanish one day (eventually) but also we had this great video on YouTube that everyone just loved!

Fortunately the sting was lessoned a bit when I heard we would find something to replace it.

I had my doubts, but so far the new Tell Me More language learning software from Auralog has impressed me.

If you plan to try this out, let me first tell you that it is NOT Rosetta Stone. And I think Auralog prides themselves on that.

Tell Me More is a little more academic in its style and it has more variety in its excersises. The latter I think will appeal to people of different learning styles. There aren’t as many languages available yet, however Auralog plans to expand their collection.

Setting up a free account is easy. Just click the link on our homepage. Within the library you will be taken directly to the site and can click the link to start an account. From home, you will be asked for your name and library card number first. There is no software to download.

Here are the languages offered: German, English, Dutch, Spanish ( Latin America and Spain), French and Italian.

 

Thanks JCPLA!

I think the JCPLA Staff Development Day went well. I really enjoyed the presentations I attended with MaryAnn Morton and Dolores Hydock. In fact, after listening to Ms. Morton, I was inspired to go home and thank my family for just being my family and then practice silence as I listen to them talk about their day.  If you attended that session I’m sure you know what I mean!

I hope everyone who attended felt it was as productive as I thought it was.

If you attended my presentation on the Database Potpourri- Thank You!

All of the handouts from that session are now available on the “handouts” page of this blog.

Also, I did have a winner from my survey contest. Congratulations to Patricia G. at Hoover! She recieved a gift hat filled with office supplies and a JCLC coffee mug. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Coming up in August, I’m looking forward to presenting “Kid Friendly Databases.” The first session will be at Springville Road for the Collection Management meeting on the 15th and the second will be on the 22nd at North Birmingham for the Paraprofessional Meeting.

If you would like to have a session at you branch or location, just let me know. You can reach me through the “contact” page of this blog, through the Regional Library Computer Center, or through my Birmingham Library email.

 

New Database on AVL!

I checked my email this afternoon and was pleased to see this from the AVL mailing list:

AVL is pleased to announce the addition of Europa World Year Book to its
database collection.  The Europa World Year Book provides detailed country
surveys containing the latest analytical, statistical, and directory data
available for over 250 countries and territories.

The database includes a comprehensive listing of some 1,700 International
Organizations such as the United Nations, The European Union, the
International Organization for Migration and the World Trade Organization,
and provides details of countries arranged alphabetically from Afghanistan
to Zimbabwe.

For additional information, an Information Sheet and Powerpoint Demo
are available on our Training page.  Go to

         http://www.avl.lib.al.us/training/index.html

and scroll to the bottom.

 

Take My Survey!

I am having fun experimenting with some of the new tools available on the web. One free tool that I like are some of the online survey applications.

I’ve heard great things about SurveyMonkey.com and Create Survey.com.

This could be a valuable resource in helping me figure out where I need to focus my energies with training for online resources. Please take a moment to fill out my survey. It would be greatly appreciated.

Oh and just to sweeten it a little-  survey takers are eligible to win a small prize pack that includes some office/school supplies and a JCLC coffee mug!

Click Here for the Survey

If the link does not work, copy and paste this into your browser:

www.createsurvey.com/c/53347-lQ6rSw/

 

Take another look at Britannica!

Britannica Online Public Library Edition is available on the AVL.

The newly designed main page is a gateway to research tools and timely news articles.

They even have a blog and it is worth checking out. On May 11th, Michael Feldman submitted an entertaining look at Socrates. Other popular authors tackle topics like politics, science, life and art.

I personally like Britannica Daily; it’s a rotating article featurette. On any given day, you’ll find articles covering society and culture, world history, science and technology and sports.

Use the Workspace feature to create a customized page for research project. Store articles, images and other Britannica content in the Workspace and log in to retrieve them later.

 

Free Online ProQuest Training

Now is the time to register for your free Sirs Discoverer and Sirs Knowledge Source online training seminars!

Proquest offers free training every month on various databases in the Proquest family. This month, Sirs Discoverer and the databases of Sirs Knowledge Source (Researcher, Government Reporter and Renaissance) are being offered.

Each session is online live. Once registered, you will be emailed with instructions about preparing for the session. The session is online, so it requires a computer. You will also need a phone, this is how the trainer will speak to the group. Each session is 45 minutes long.

I have attended a session in this format and I’ve found it to be fun (for training , anyway!). 

ProQuest will send you a completion certificate. 

Click the link to view the calendar.

http://inter.viewcentral.com/reg/proquest/k12calendar

 

Handouts

Some of my handouts are now available on the blog. Take a look at the handouts tab towards the top of the screen. On that page you will find a list of available handouts. Email me if you don’t find what you’re looking for.